An anonymous reader writes: Scientists have sequenced the entire genomes of 91 human sperm from a 40-year-old man and revealed valuable insights into the infinite genetic variation that naturally occurs in a single individual.

Researchers at Stanford University said that the study, published in the journal Cell, is the first to completely map out the whole-genome of a human gamete, cells passed by parent to offspring that determine a child's physical characteristics.

The latest findings confirmed what scientists already know, that every sperm is different because of the way the DNA passed down from a parent is shuffled in the process known as recombination.

benfrog writes: "The Internet Defense League, a loosely-organized group of diverse organizations that hopes to save the internet from acts like SOPA, has come put with a novel way to do it: the "Cat Signal." The embedded code (which can be plunked into almost any web site) can be centrally activated (subject to the override of the site's owner) whenever the IDL feels there is a threat to internet freedom on the horizon. It was also activated today, on the founding of the initiative. And yes, it's inspired by all of those pictures of fuzzy kitty cats on the 'net."

An anonymous reader writes: Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB in Germany are working at incorporating titanium dioxide into paint. Titanium dioxide commonly found in cosmetics and sunscreens, has the uncanny ability to produce free-radicals when stimulated by sunlight; damaging the cells of microbes and fungi

retroworks writes: "Reuters, Nature, and Christan Science Monitor report on the results of an experiment utilizing iron sulphate as a "fertilizer" for ocean algae. The ocean algae increased significantly, which could, according to the scientists involved, represent a method to trap carbon (through photosynthesis) and theoretically arrest the rate of global warming. But the CSM article notes that "Large-scale experiments with ocean fertilisation using iron are currently banned by the international London Convention on dumping at sea because of fears about side-effects." Asking Slashdot, would the "losers" from climate change insist on this solution, or this climate-interference too controversial to contemplate?"

Steve Max writes: Editor Paul Ockenden wonders, "Has anyone else noticed what’s been happening to top-end smartphones recently? They’ve started to get big – really big. But do people really want that at the expense of carrying around such a huge, heavy lump of tech in their pocket?". The trend for biggerandbiggerscreens is clear, but is it what consumers want? Is it what you want?

netbuzz writes: "Microsoft has apologized and promised to rectify the fact that one of its developers slipped a sexist phrase into Linux kernel code supporting Microsoft’s HyperV virtualization environment. In that code, the magic constant passed through to the hypervisor reads "0xB16B00B5," or a slightly camouflaged "BIG BOOBS." After Linux developer/blogger Matthew Garrett criticized Microsoft for the stunt, the predictable debate over sexism in the technology world ensued. Microsoft issued a statement to Network World apologizing and added, “We have submitted a patch to fix this issue and the change will be published in a future release of the kernel.”"

colinneagle writes: People are not going to, nor should they have to, start walking around outside with a bag over their head to avoid security cameras capturing images of them. Yet "face recognition allows for covert, remote and mass capture and identification of images — and the photos that may end up in a database include not just a person's face but also how she is dressed and possibly whom she is with. This creates threats to free association and free expression not evident in other biometrics," testified EFF Staff Attorney Jennifer Lynch about What Facial Recognition Technology Means for Privacy and Civil Liberties.

There are 32 states that use some form of facial recognition for DMV photos. Every day, Facebook happily slurps up and automatically scans with facial recognition software about 300 million photos that users upload to the social networking giant. "Face recognition is here to stay, and, though many Americans may not realize it, they are already in a face recognition database," Lynch said. In fact, when you stop to consider Facebook "at least 54% of the United States population already has a face print." Now it purchased Face.com which had 31 billion face images profiled.

An anonymous reader writes: Personal cloud storage services are becoming ever more popular and many of us entrust important and seemingly harmless files to the cloud, in storage we pay to use. But one look at the terms and conditions of SkyDrive, and reading some of the experiences of users, shows cloud storage is anything but personal.

Microsoft scans every file you upload to your SkyDrive, that includes both public and private folders. It also has a long list of prohibited content, suggesting that storing family photos or ebooks you purchased can get your account suspended permanently. But not just your Skydrive, everything linked to your Windows Live account (Hotmail, Messenger, Xbox Live).

Such rules cannot apply to an area of personal online storage without some kind of process being in place for the user to review the content deemend unacceptable. Access to other files must also be allowed to continue during a dispute. If a service can’t promise that, then there is no point storing any important files in the cloud because one day you might lose access to them, possibly forever, and never know why.

ChristineSLoose writes: "Oracle announced that it has ventured into an agreement to acquire Involver, a social markup language (SML) platform provider. SML is a tool used to develop personalized marketing applications for social media sites and Web campaigns. The deal follows the company’s acquirement of Virtue and Collective Intellect which are both social media sites."

vu1986 writes: ""Twitter announced today that it is filing an appeal in a case that is helping to define privacy rights in the social media era.

The case turns on a subpoena by which New York City wants Twitter to turn over the account information of Occupy Wall Street protestor Malcolm Harris. In a controversial decision in October, Judge Matthew Sciarrino Jr. ruled that Harris couldn’t challenge the subpoena because he didn’t have any rights in the Twitter account and therefore lacked standing.""

quantr writes: ""An 18 year-old Taiwanese man has been found dead after booking himself a room at a local internet cafe and playing Diablo III for 40 hours straight.

Identified only by his surname, Chang, the teenager reportedly didn't eat for two days, and was found by an employee on Sunday morning slumped over a table. After being woken, "he stood, took a few steps and then collapsed". Rushed to hospital, he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving.While an autopsy is yet to be carried out, authorities suspect "that long hours in a sedentary position created cardiovascular problems", which would ultimately have led to his death.""

formaggio writes: Three UCLA scientists believe that injecting large amounts of sulfate aerosols in to the atmosphere – in other words, creating a fake volcano – we might be able to stave off the effects of global warming.